Richard B. Strawn
Nov 27, 1931 – Aug 8, 2024
Richard B. Strawn, 92, of Fruitland, ID, passed into eternal rest August 8, 2024 at Edgewood Assisted Living, surrounded by family.
Richard was born November 27, 1931 to Clarance and Eva Strawn in the family home. Richard joined an older sister Arlene, and in 1933 his brother Gene completed the family.
Richard attended school in Fruitland, ID, graduating in 1950. He attended college for a brief time in Moscow, Idaho, until his father needed him to help on the farm.
Richard received his pilots’ license at the young age of sixteen, and he was an avid pilot. Richard recently received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, for 50 years of dedicated Service in Aviation.
He met the love of his life, Joann Heathman, while they were still in high school, and Richard flew to Emmett, ID., to pick Joann up and take her to the Fruitland Jr./Sr. prom. Richard and Joann were married August 31, 1951.
On October 17th 1951, Richard joined the United States Air Force and left for basic training in Texas. In December of that year, Richard came home for Christmas and when he returned to Texas, Joann joined him until his discharge in 1955. When they returned to Idaho, Richard began farming again with his father.
They started their family in 1952, with the birth of their first child, Richard (Rick) Strawn, Jr., (Debbie), Janet Fritts, Joyce Nichols,(Kim) and Russell Strawn. They were blessed with four grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and four great, great grandchildren.
Richard was a member of the Fruitland School Board for nine years. He was also a member of the EAA, Experimental Aircraft Association.
Richard never met a stranger, and he met many very interesting people throughout the years, including a Royal Navy fighter pilot from England, that shared Thanksgiving dinner with the family, a Chilean sheep herder who cared for his flock across the road from the family home, and he was friends with a nuclear physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project.
Richard is proceeded in death by his wife, Joann, who passed away 44 days before their 70th anniversary , a daughter, Janet Marie Fritts, and two grandchildren, Kaydian Blaine Shipley, and Tyler Blaine Lancaster.
Services will be held Sat. August 24, 2024 @ 10:30 A.M. at the First United Methodist Church, 317 S.W. 2nd. Street, Fruitland, ID 83619
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